Rory slid off the couch and began looking for her usual 'abuse' clothes; long sleeves, sunglasses, and face makeup. Chris had refused to share the bed after supposedly walking in on her and her lover, who was Jess. She tried time and time again to explain to him, but the only consolation she could offer was to be a human punching bag.

Rory cursed aloud as she added the final touches to try to conceal her bruises. "I'm late, again!" Before, Chris would always bring her coffee and insist she have some toast before work, but lately, the past half year, he had changed for the worse, and now Rory awoke early, so she could slip out before he stumbled in.

She ran outside, grabbing her keys on the way; and ran head-forward into something, stumbling back and causing her sunglasses to fly off. 'Something' turned out to be 'someone' and she glanced up timidly, hoping it wasn't Chris. She met those electric blue eyes, and relief and safety flooded through her like a warm stream.

"Tristan! What are you doing here?"

Tristan raised his eyebrows quizically at her, and half-smiled. "Remember? Today we were supposed to go out to breakfast… we scheduled it a month ago. I figured you had out your calendar, marking big 'X's on the days 'til today…." Tristan teased.

Rory giggled and fumbled with her sunglasses to try to put them back on; but Tristan was too quick. His hand glided along her jaw and raised her face to meet his directly. His face became distorted with concern and disgust at the possibility of something happening to her.

"Rory," he began, his voice barely audible. His fingertips lightly grazed the bruises on her upper cheek and eye areas.

"Oh," she forced a small laugh. "There was an accident… with the coffee machine. You know you really shouldn't put me around heavy machinery."

"Heavy machinery?"

"I mean, any kind of machinery, really," Rory shrugged and climbed into the passenger seat of his car, putting her sunglasses in place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Miss Gilmore," Dan Taylor, Rory's boss, drawled. "I need that story concerning the robbery on my desk TOMORROW, please. Deadlines are everything in the world of journalism."

"Yes, sir. My only step left is…."

She was cut off by his boring, flat tone. "I don't really care, I just want it completed. Now off you go." He motioned his hands toward the door and turned back to his computer.

Rory sighed and walked back to her cubicle. Working for The Hartford Times had its advantages, yet not always. She wanted more adventure than this; she knew she was better. Sitting in her seat, she placed her reading glasses in place and turned to do final editing on her story; however she was interrupted by the phone.

"Hartford Times, this is Rory," she mustered as much cheerfulness as she could.

"Hey babe, whatcha up to?"

"Oh, hi Chris, I'm just finishing my story," she tried to sound glad to hear from him, but the memories of the night kept running through her head; which was still pounding with pain.

"Good. So, tonight are we on for dinner?"

"Umm yeah, where?"

"Tell ya what, your pick. We'll celebrate the finishing of your first second-page story."

"Sounds great, I'll call you later," Rory smiled and hung up the phone, returning to her work with a quicker pace.

~~~~~~~~Later

Rory sprinted to her parking space, only to remember Tristan had driven her to work. "Damn," she muttered. She yanked out her cell and dialed Chris's number. After telling him to pick her up, she made her way back to front of building, and rested her tired body on a bench. Chris's beatings were growing more brutal, and she could never predict when his mean side would show. She wanted to leave him, but right when she would consider it, he would do something charming and she would scold herself for thinking of it. Maybe this was just a phase. After all, she had been with Chris for three years, and two and a half of them had been blissful. She had never slept with Chris, and she wasn't sure what was holding her back. Maybe that's why he was becoming mean at times. He said he understood that she wasn't ready; but he constantly reminded her that he had been patient for three years. "Three years!!!" He would often yell, but then he would smile, as if joking. This always left Rory thinking why she couldn't. Maybe I'm just prude. But she knew that wasn't it. Before Chris, Tristan and her had never dated, but at times they would get 'hot and heavy' never allowing themselves to go past second base. They were both too scared. It all ended when she started dating Chris, though. And Tristan understood; after all, she was in love with Chris. He had even set them up, so he was glad for them.

Rory studied the car as Chris pulled up, and wondered who she would meet when she got inside; mean Chris or nice Chris? She mentally relaxed herself and smiled when she got in. He leaned in and kissed her; short and sweet.

"Wanna just go to dinner now, instead of going home first?" Chris asked. He glanced at her, his eyes not meeting hers, or her bruises.

"Yeah that's fine. How 'bout we go to Stars Hollow to eat?"

Chris tensed up. He didn't really like that place. He always assumed Rory would meet up with her old boyfriends, who she never really talked about anymore. "Fine."

"Well, I mean we don't have to, just…"

"I said it was fine, babe. I meant it."

Rory relaxed and smiled as they began. Her brain didn't really kick in until about three minutes later. "I--I've changed my mind,"

"What?" Chris was puzzled, she loved Stars Hollow.

"I mean, let's stay in Hartford. I'm tired, I'm not up for the drive." Rory lied smoothly, and surprised herself. She didn't want Luke or Jess to see her bruises, they would know in a heartbeat. Unlike Tristan, they didn't listen to her, they saw right through her. Tristan was too soft towards her to believe that anything she said was a lie. He thought she was perfect.